Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Not starting versus lefty
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Nootbaar is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Cubs.
The left-handed-hitting Nootbaar starts fairly often versus lefty pitchers, but he will begin Wednesday's festivities on the bench as the Cubs deploy southpaw Matthew Boyd as their starting pitcher. Jose Fermin will patrol left field and bat sixth for St. Louis.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Appears off bench Sunday
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Nootbaar (illness) drew a walk and fouled out in two plate appearances off the bench in Sunday's 5-3 extra-inning loss to the Reds.
Nootbaar didn't start Sunday's game after exiting Saturday's 7-0 win when he experienced dehydration and lightheadedness. However, his absence from the lineup Sunday likely had more to do with the Reds starting a lefty (Andrew Abbott), as Nootbaar entered the game once Abbott exited. Nootbaar will be available to play Monday against the Cubs, though with lefty David Peterson slated to start, Nootbaar isn't guaranteed to be included in the lineup.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Sitting out Sunday
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Nootbaar (illness) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
Nootbaar was removed from Saturday's 7-0 win after experiencing dehydration and lightheadedness, but his absence from the lineup Sunday probably has more to do with the fact that the Reds are sending lefty Andrew Abbott to the bump. Nelson Velazquez will draw the start in left field in place of Nootbaar, who has gone 3-for-25 (.160) with a 5:6 BB:K in 31 plate appearances versus southpaws this season.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Removed due to dehydration
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Manager Oliver Marmol said Nootbaar was removed from Saturday's win over the Reds due to dehydration and lightheadedness, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Nootbaar walked and scored in the bottom of the sixth inning but was replaced in left field by Jose Fermin in the top of the seventh. Marmol said overall Nootbaar is fine, so it sounds like he'll have a chance to play in Sunday's series finale, though he could easily get a day off with lefty Andrew Abbott set to take the mound for Cincinnati. Since making his season debut June 5, Nootbaar has a .715 OPS with just three homers across 154 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Idle against lefty
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Nootbaar is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels.
The Cardinals will send Nootbaar and fellow left-handed-hitting outfielder Nathan Church to the bench Wednesday while southpaw Reid Detmers toes the rubber for the Angels. Nelson Velazquez will take Nootbaar's spot in left field and will bat fifth.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Blasts homer in win
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Nootbaar went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run, a walk and a second run scored in Saturday's 4-1 win over Atlanta.
Nootbaar's first-inning blast gave the Cardinals all the offense they needed in this contest. The outfielder had gone a month between homers, batting .269 with a .687 OPS during his 24-game power drought. For the season, Nootbaar is hitting .265 with a .781 OPS, three homers, 12 RBI, 15 runs scored, one steal, six doubles and one triple over 31 contests. He is filling a strong-side platoon role in left field.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Out of lineup against lefty
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Nootbaar is absent from the lineup for Monday's contest versus the Brewers.
The lefty-swinging Nootbaar will grab a seat as the Brewers use southpaw Shane Drohan in the series opener. Nelson Velazquez will patrol left field and hit cleanup for the Cardinals.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Sitting out against left-hander
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Nootbaar is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest in Kansas City.
Since he returned from the injured list earlier this month, the left-handed-hitting Nootbaar has been out of the lineup each of the three times the Cardinals have faced a traditional lefty starter. However, it could be more about picking spots to rest Nootbaar following a long layoff than it is about him being in a platoon. Nelson Velazquez will play left field for St. Louis in the series opener.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Aiming for June 1 return
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The Cardinals are eyeing June 1 as a target date for Nootbaar's (heels) activation from the 60-day injured list, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar homered in his first rehab game with Single-A Palm Beach last week and has since moved up to Triple-A Memphis, going 2-for-6 with a 1:2 BB:K over three contests between the two stops. He's played left field twice and served as a designated hitter once, and Nootbaar is projected to be the Cardinals' everyday left fielder when he rejoins the active roster. The 28-year-old is working his way back from double heel surgery.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Nearing rehab assignment
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Nootbaar (heels) will begin a rehab assignment over the weekend, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar is expected to begin playing his rehab games at Single-A Palm Beach before advancing to higher-level affiliates in what will be a lengthy assignment similar to spring training. Assuming he doesn't encounter any setbacks, he figures to make his season debut with the Cardinals in late May or early June.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Targeting late May/early June
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Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Saturday that Nootbaar (heels) is on track to begin a rehab assignment as soon as the week of May 10, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar has been taking live batting practice and going through running drills at the team's spring training complex in Florida and is almost ready to test out his surgically repaired heels in official game action. It will essentially be his spring training when he does start playing in games, so Nootbaar will need a significant amount of rehab action. The goal is for the 28-year-old outfielder to be ready for his season debut by late May or early June. Nootbaar will likely take over as the Cardinals' everyday left fielder when he returns to the active roster.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Will open season on IL
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Nootbaar (heel) will start the 2026 regular season on the injured list, William Ladson of MLB.com reports.
As expected, Nootbaar will miss the opening portion of the regular season while rehabbing from offseason surgery on both heels. There is no clear timeline for when the 28-year-old outfielder will be ready to make his season debut. Nootbaar's absence means Nathan Church should see a bump in starts in the outfield to open the 2026 campaign.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: To ramp up running program
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Nootbaar (heels) has been increasing his agility drills and is soon slated to ramp up his running program, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar's running will occur on an altered-gravity treadmill, so while his progression from offseason surgery on both heels is coming along, he does not appear close to being cleared for game action. The 28-year-old outfielder will begin the campaign on the injured list, and there remains no firm timetable for when he might be ready for his season debut.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Beginning stages of running program
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Nootbaar (heels) has been able to hit and throw without issue but is just now getting into the stage of being able to run unaided, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Recovering from surgery in early October to address deformities on both of his heels, Nootbaar's arrival in Cardinals camp was delayed until Wednesday as the team awaited the delivery of an altered gravity treadmill. The outfielder said Wednesday that he does not have a timeline for a return, but the consensus is that he will begin the season on the injured list. Once healthy, Nootbaar will be the club's everyday left fielder.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Settles with Cards at $5.35 million
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The Cardinals and Nootbaar (heels) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.35 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Nootbaar played a career-high 135 games but produced a career-low .686 OPS for the Cardinals this past season. He underwent surgery on both heels in October and is not a lock to be ready for Opening Day. Once Nootbaar is ready, he's expected to be the team's primary left fielder.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Could miss start of '26 season
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Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Sunday that Nootbaar (heels) isn't guaranteed to be available for the start of the 2026 season, Matt Pauley of 1120 AM KMOX St. Louis reports.
Nootbaar is on the mend from Oct. 7 surgery to address deformities on both of his heels. At the time the procedure was performed, the Cardinals didn't put a timeline on Nootbaar's return to full baseball activities, but Bloom's comments suggest that the outfielder could need around six months to get back to 100 percent health. Bloom noted that Nootbaar won't be hurried along in the rehab process, and even if the 28-year-old winds up on the injured list to begin the 2026 campaign, he would be shelved for only a limited amount of time. Nootbaar played in a career-high 135 games in 2025, slashing .234/.325/.361 with 13 home runs, four stolen bases, 48 RBI and 68 runs over 583 plate appearances.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Returns from IL
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The Cardinals reinstated Nootbaar (ribs) from the injured list Saturday.
Nootbaar has been on the injured list since mid-July with a left costochondral sprain but has played three rehab games in Double-A, going 4-for-14 with an RBI and a run scored. Now fully recovered, he'll reclaim an everyday role in the Cardinals' outfield and replace Jose Fermin on the active roster.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Embarking on rehab assignment
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Nootbar (ribs) will begin his rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield on Wednesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Nootbaar landed on the 10-day injured list just before the All-Star break due to a left costochondral sprain. He was initially limited to light tee work, but he has progressed enough in his recovery to get back on the field on a rehab assignment. Nootbaar could be back with the big club in early August, depending on how his injury reacts to a larger workload.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Rehab games around corner
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Nootbaar (ribs) could begin a rehab assignment early next week, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar began a hitting progression with soft toss and tee work Wednesday and looks to be trending in the right direction as he comes back from a left costochondral sprain. The outfielder has been sidelined since just before the All-Star break and shouldn't require too many rehab games before rejoining the Cardinals' active roster.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Unable to swing without discomfort
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Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Monday that Nootbaar has not been able to swing a bat without feeling discomfort in his left ribcage, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The team had hoped Nootbaar would be ready to begin a hitting progression Monday, but it appears the outfielder is not ready for that yet. A timetable for Nootbaar's return won't become clear until he's able to ramp things up without pain. Nootbaar landed on the 10-day injured list just over a week ago with a left costochondral sprain, an injury which had kept him in and out of the lineup since late June.
